Golf tee



Jun21,193s.l 4 LSEQARR 2,121,113

GOLF TEE Filed Dec. 9, 1957 Patented June 2l, 1938 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFicE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to golf tees and more particularly to an improvement in such tees having associated therewith a device 4designed to` help the player hit the proper spot on the ball when driving. Y

It has been proposed to provide golf tees with an indicating spot positioned to be visible, to the player when addressing the ball, just in back of the ball with respect to the line of flight. The player in looking at this spot is thus caused to gaze at the back portion of the ball which materially aids incorrectly hitting the ball.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved tee of this type which may be easily collapsed for packing, and carrying by the player. n

A further object is to provide means to positively control the height ofthe ball supporting surface of the tee with respect to they ground.

To these ends, the invention'includes .a golf tee having a target pivoted thereto to swingfrom a position perpendicular to the pin axis to a position substantially parallel thereto, the targetwhen in perpendicular position being visible to the player when addressing the ball on the tee, just in back of the ball with respect to the line of flight.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the present invention showing a ball resting on the tee;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the tee shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the'tee shown in Fig. 1, but illustrating the target in collapsed or retracted position; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawing which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the tee comprises a pin portion I having one end II pointed, and the other end I2 enlarged and formed with a concave seat I3 for a ball I4.

The tee is provided with a target I mounted to lie in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 1 or to be swung to the collapsed position shown in. Fig. 4. One method of accomplishing this consists in providing the pin with a bore I6 intermediate its ends, the axes of the boreand pin ball.

intersecting at right angles. A wire is now in'- serted through the bore andl bent to a substantially U-shape forming the arms I| and the bight I8. The target I5 is mounted on the free ends of the arms I1. As shown in Fig. 5 this 5 target may consist of thin sheet material having two opposite marginal portions crimped around the freeends of the arm I1 asY shown at I9 and 20. A 4

'I'he dimensions of the arms and target are 10 such that when the target is in the horizontal position shown in Fig. l, it is visible to the player when addressing the ball, lying just in rear of the back of the ball with respect to the line of ight indicated by the arrow 2|. The line, of 15 sight of 'the player when addressing the ball is indicated by the arrow 22 of Fig. 1. Thus it -will be seen that the target is positioned so that it is spaced from the axis of the pin a distance Slight-4 ly greater than the radius of the golf ball, that is to say, the central part of the portion of the target visible to the player is thus positioned.

With the target shaped and arranged as shown, the axis of bore I8 is positioned with respect to the point II of the pin a4 distance. 25 slightly less than the distance from said bore axis to the inner edge 23 of the target, so that the target may be swung to the position shown in Fig. 4 with the target lying substantially par,

allel to a plane containing the axis of the pin.-

The U-shaped member with the target attached thereto acts to limit the amount the pin may be inserted inthe ground, thereby positively controlling the height of the ball supporting surface of the tee with respect to the ground.

With the arrangement. described herein, the target may be collapsed to the position shown in Fig. 4 so that the tees may be packed in boxes of the usual size provided for their sale, and also carried by the player in his customary manner. 4o In other words, the target, when in collapsed position, does not interfere with packing or carrying the tee.

In operation, the target I5 is swung from its collapsed position to the position shown in Fig. l and the tee point II inserted in the ground until the target rests on the surface thereof. The ball I4 is placed on the tee and the player takes his stance looking at the target I5 while making the driving stroke.

Of course the target I5 is colored to make it easily seen by the player when addressing the For instance, it may be colored yellow or red.

Although one embodiment of the invention has 66 been described in detail, it is to be understoodthat it is not thus limited, but includes modiilcations and changes that come within the scope oi' the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be Secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A golf tee including in combination, a pin having one end pointed and the other enlarged and formed with a seat for a gol! ball, a target Apivoted to said pin for movement from a position perpendicular to the axis oi said pin to a position substantially in the piane containing said axis, and the outer portion oi' said target being spaced from said axis a distance slightly greater than the radius of a golf ball.

2. A golf tee including a pin adapted to be inserted in the ground, a target pivoted on said pin for movement from a position perpendicular to the pin axis to a. position substantially parallel thereto, the axis of the target pivot intersecting the pin axis, and the target being at such distance from the pin, that, when in a .position perpendicular to the axis of the pin, it is visible to the player when addressing the ball, lying just back of the ball with respect to its line oi iight.

3. The combination with the pin of a golf tee,

ot an arm pivoted thereto intermediate its ends having a target at its free end spaced from the pin axis a distance slightly greater than the radius of a golf bali, said arm being'movable from a position perpendicular to the pin axis where the target is visible to a player addressing a ball on the tee. to a position substantially parallel thereto.

4. In combination with the pin of a golf tee, a target visible at the back of the bali to a player when addressing the same, and means pivotally supporting said target on the pin for movement from a position perpendicular to thc pin axis to a position substantially parallel thereto, the pin and pivot axes intersecting at right angles.

5. 'I'he combination with the pin of a golf tee having a bore therethrough perpendicular to the pin axis and intermediate its ends, a substantially U-shaped member having its bight disposed in said bore, a target on the free ends of said member, the target being visible at the back of the ball to a player when addressing the ball, and rotatable about the bore axis from suchl position to a position substantially in a plane containing the pin axis.

LESTER STEWART BARR. 

